


Refuge

by WizardlyWaffles



Series: Kingdomtalia AU [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-05
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-07-21 16:18:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7394593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WizardlyWaffles/pseuds/WizardlyWaffles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just shy of his eighteenth birthday, Omega Prince Lovino Vargas is troubled by the thoughts of marrying a chosen Alpha mate. When he meets an Alpha fish merchant from the Nordic kingdom, his troubles are swept away. Can Antonio be Lovino's refuge? </p><p>Prequel to Secrecy</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Salt. There was nothing he loved more than the smell of the sea, the serenades of the waves rocking and bobbing his boat against the docks. The life of a merchant was one of the simple pleasures. A young man with olive skin and brown messy hair opened a basket of fish and took a deep whiff of the smell it emanated and chuckled. “Mm~ There’s nothing better than the produce of the sea. Come one, come all! Get your fish! Caught fresh from the Nordic borders!” He cheered to the crowds of market goers that passed his boat.

Unfortunately for young Antonio, he was advertising to the inhabitants of the Roman kingdom. The Roman kingdom was poor. Ridiculously poor. Although Antonio had a merchant’s certificate to sell his fresh fish, there was really no point selling his produce in the Roman kingdom. It was the worst place to do business. “Come on~! I know you Romans must crave a fish or two every now and again!” He called cheerily to the crowds. No buyers. Antonio sighed pathetically and slumped on top of a barrel with a bleak expression. He couldn’t go back to the Nordic kingdom without selling his barrels of fish somehow.

The sound of a bag of coins hitting the counter snapped him from his thoughts.

“Two of your biggest fish. Make it quick”

Antonio gazed up and saw a beautiful man before him. But…the beauty wasn’t reflected in his eyes. The man with curly chestnut brown hair stared down at him with an impatient pout.

“Well how long are you going to keep staring? You’re gaping like the fish you’re selling. Get to it! Two big fish. I don’t have time”

“Si, si” Antonio hastily grabbed two plump snapper fish and wrapped them in brown paper. The customer tried to grab the fish, only to have them yanked away by the merchant with a goofy grin. “What are you doing, you bastard? I want my fish!”

Antonio chuckled and raised the bag of fish above his head. “Not till you tell me your name~!”

The brown haired man grits his teeth in frustration and ran behind the counter to jump and claw at Antonio’s handful of fish. To no avail, he was far too short. Sighing in defeat, he ceased his actions.

“Lovino. My name is Lovino”

Antonio smiled and handed the fish to Lovino. “Oh hey! That’s the same name as one of the prince’s here, isn’t it? You’re a lucky one, huh?” Lovino cast his eyes down awkwardly and snatched the bundle away. “Whatever. I’m never buying fish from this place ever again, stupid bastard. Just forget my name already”

“Thanks for doing business with me!”

The Italian clicked his tongue and walked off with a pissed expression. Such a beautiful man.

 

“Nonno! Nonno! Raise me higher!”

King Roma chuckled and raised his grandson above his head, prompting him to giggle and shriek cheerily. “Goodness, Feliciano, my boy, you’ve grown so much in such a short amount of time! Fairly soon you’ll be helping your brother rule this kingdom” Feliciano finally touched the ground again and shook his head. “But Nonno! I don’t want to help fratello rule the kingdom with some smelly Alpha! I want to go out and explore the world. Ruling’s boring!” Feliciano complained with a pout. King Roma stroked his grandson’s hair with a pained smile. “One day, Feli, maybe you won’t have that choice. If something was to happen to your brother, you are duty bound to marry an Alpha and rule the land together”

The palace door opened loudly, disrupting their conversation. “I got the fish. Tell the cooks to make something good with it. I’m not going back to that stupid merchant”

Feliciano beamed and ran towards his brother cheerily. “Fratello! You’re back!” Lovino rolled his eyes and pushed Feliciano back. “We’re the same age, Feli. Stop acting like a little kid and be an adult, will you?” He snapped, prompting King Roma o thump his cane against the ground. “Be nice, Lovino. Your fratello was just saying a little hello. There’s nothing wrong with that, is there?”

“Maybe I don’t want to say hello. Maybe I just want to be left alone” Lovino huffed impatiently, placing the fish down. “Lovino Vargas, you be kind to your brother. He is a very important part of your life you know! Without him, this kingdom would fall to ruins when I’m gone”

Feliciano’s eyelashes beaded with tears. “Fratello, why are you being mean? What did I ever do?”

“Nothing. Just back off, okay? I haven’t had a siesta yet”

King Roma and Feliciano looked at each other and nodded. It wasn’t uncommon for Lovino to be cranky in the afternoons. “Then go to sleep and apologize to your brother when you wake up. It’ll give you time to think for your actions” King Roma spoke. His hand gestured to the upper staircase of the palace to where the rooms were. Lovino said nothing more and trudged away from his dumb family without a shred of consideration for their feelings.

The truth was, he hated his family. He hated that he was destined to be the Omega Queen of the palace. He hated his Omega genes. His Omega brother. His Alpha grandfather. The rules regarding ruling the kingdom. Everyone and everything, Lovino hated. Lovino was trying to be optimistic about everything that was happening. Maybe it wasn’t so bad. He was born with Feliciano as twins. When they were born, nobody knew what was to come from this. Lovino and Feliciano had developed the traits commonly found in Beta children. No palace has ever seen a Beta ruler before. Because Beta’s were prohibited from ruling a kingdom. What would that mean for two motherless Beta princes? With silent prayers, King Roma raised Feliciano and Lovino with no trouble at all. Speculation was going rampant for what the new Beta offspring will be. They still had time to develop into Omegas or Alphas.

Then the world breathed a sigh of relief when simultaneously, Lovino and Feliciano both went on heat for the very first time. They were Omegas. Two beautiful Omega princes. With this new knowledge, the two princes were ushered from each other. Feliciano was raised to learn about supporting the kingdom, his role as an omega and the duties that came with it. For a long time, Lovino never had the chance to visit Feliciano in his childhood, as he was sent away to focus on his princely studies. If he was going to be queen, King Roma had decided it was best they visited all the eligible Alphas from other kingdoms. From Germanic to Baltic to Asian kingdoms. Lovino went and met every single one in hopes that ONE of their Alphas would strike his fancy. To no avail.

With a grumble, Lovino tucked himself into his fancy cotton bedsheets and tossed and turned through the afternoon. He couldn’t sleep like this, damn it all! After several minutes of restlessness, Lovino finally gave up and walked out to the palace steps. He casually walked past King Roma, who was scanning through a scroll of parchment lazily.

“And where are you going, my boy?”

Lovino abruptly froze in his tracks and turned around like a startled rabbit under the gaze of a wolf. “I uh…I’m just going for a walk, nonno. You know, a shit-walk” King Roma sighed and lowered the parchment. “You I don’t approve of the term ‘Shit-walk’. You’re going on a walk to think about your future again, aren’t you?”  

Lovino responded with an irritated sigh and pushed past his grandfather’s knowing gaze and towards the docks of the Roman Kingdom. He didn’t want to deal with the king’s sass today.

 

The redness of the sun shimmered against the glistening waves along the sand. The sound of the waves against the shore was one of the only things that calmed Lovino in such troubling times. He knew the eve of his eighteenth birthday was rapidly approaching. The moment he hit the stage of adulthood, he was to be immediately crowned queen with some other soul lost in this maze of responsibilities and royalty. The abrupt, loud squawking of a seagull and the shouts of a man pulled him from his thoughts.

“Oi! Get off! These are my fish, not yours! Go on! Pedazo de mierda!”

When Lovino turned the corner…

Oh good grief.

It was that idiot merchant again. And from the looks of it, he was losing a game of tug-o-war over a fish with a pelican. What a dumbass.

Still…there was something funny about watching him drop his fish into the depths under the jetty. “No, no, no, no! Ah….all my profits….”

“Stop making such a racket. You’re giving me a headache, bastard”

The merchant looked up and immedietly beamed with hope and desperation. “Ah! Hey, it’s Lovino!” Lovino cringed at the sight of the other and instantly tried to turn the other way, but his hand on his shoulder stopped him. “You can help me, si? Can you get the fish back for me?”

“What?! Fuck no! Get it yourself! It was your fish! And who the hell are you? Hands off!”

Antonio backed away with his hands up defensively. “Hey, hey, hey….no need to get snappy at me, Lovi. Name’s Antonio. And…as for the fish business…I can’t swim. And that fish was my special fish. I need my special fish, Lovi” Lovino looked at Antonio as if he had three heads. “Antonio the fish merchant who can’t swim and has a special fish…..you sound like an idiot”

“Si….I am. But hear me out, yeah? All my money is in that fish. See, we merchants are always looking out for thieves. No offense but…when the Roman’s get poor, they get DESPERATE. I’ve had my fill of little ones coming and stealing my fish. Who knows what they’d do if they took my money too. So I hid my money in a fish under the counter. My special fish, Lovi, my special fish”

“And what you’re saying…you couldn’t think of a better way to hide your stupid money so you chose the DUMBEST way to do it and now you want me to get it from the bottom of the ocean because you can’t swim”

Antonio nodded meekly. “I’ll pay you back. I’ll give you a discount on my fish”

Lovino thought about it for a moment. If he got a discount…he could get away with pocketing the excess cash to save up for other things. “……Deal. You better take care of my coat. It’s Germanic origin, you know” Lovino tossed his coat and stripped himself of his boots, “You better make it up to me” With that, Lovino jumped into the water and blindly fumbled in the dark for the carcass of a fish. Antonio watched with bated breath as Lovino would pull up gasping, take a deep breath and dive back in. For a while, both of them felt that it was going to be hopeless until Lovino felt cold, fleshy scales brush past his foot. He immediately grabbed it and dropped it onto the ledge of the boardwalk, gasping.

“Lovino! You’re a life saver!” Antonio praised as he yanked the other onto the docks once more. “S-si…whatever…. don’t make me do it again, the water was fucking freezing!”

“Thank you~” Seemingly out of nowhere, Antonio pressed a warm kiss to Lovino’s cheek and pulled away with a grateful sigh. Within moments, Lovino felt the water on his cheeks start to dry under the heat glowing from his skin. “Y-you’re welcome….”

There was an unbearable pounding against his chest as the moonlight shone down Antonio like an angel’s halo. His body glowed in night’s light, revealing every toned muscle on down his arms from what Lovino could only assume was the product of years’ worth of catching and handling heavy fish. Such strength…could only be evident in an Alpha.

Lovino stood upright on his feet at the revelation and swiped his things from Antonio. “Si…don’t mention it. Don’t even fucking remind me, okay? Just- take care of your damn money and your stupid fish and leave me alone, si? Ciao”

Lovino trudged back to the castle, failing to see the goofy, love-struck dazed smile on Antonio’s face and his little wave goodbye. “Adiós~”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy! I didn't expect such a large amount of kudos already! I'm very grateful for it. To be honest, this is my first time writing Spamano and I am trying very hard to keep it in character. Anyway, to the chapter!

The slapping of wet skin against marble floors echoed through the darkened halls of the palace. As he walked, a trail of salty seawater puddles followed behind Lovino. The walk home had dried off his body only slightly, but it didn’t stop the droplets of seawater that slipped from his skin.

Lovino wandered to the fruit bowl, grabbing a bunch of red grapes that laid decoratively on the counter. There was a presence hovering around the room; there was no denying the soft breathing that came with it.

“Stop stalking me, you jerk. I’m home now, okay?”

Kiku, the kingdom’s Beta in waiting emerged from the shadows in his traditional yukata, sporting the kingdom’s traditional red and white colors. He gave a formal bow and flowed like a feather across the kitchen. “It is late, your highness. It is dangerous to be alone at night without a body guard"

Lovino rolled his eyes and popped a grape in his mouth. “How dumb do you think I am? I can care for myself” The Beta gave a soft sigh and shook his head slowly. “You have a tendency to antagonize our purposes. Myself and the knights are responsible for your safety. Should you get hurt in any way-“ Kiku flashes an anxious glance to the ground, “I would not have my neck intact”

Kiku placed a calming hand on Lovino’s shoulder. “Come. It is time for you to go to bed. May I ask why you are soaking?”

Lovino chewed at his cheek. Should he tell him a dumb merchant stored all his money in a fish, dropped it in the water after fighting with a pelican then begged him to dive in and get it? He had to give him credit, while Kiku was willing to believe in people, there was no way the stoic Beta was going to believe him.

“Uh…I tripped and fell off the boardwalk on my stroll” Kiku stared at him disbelievingly, but blinked and looked ahead.

“I see. I will run a bath for you, your majesty. Tomorrow is a big day for you. Tomorrow, you will be present for Prince Berwald of the Nordic kingdom. I’ve heard he’s fond to meet you” Lovino shuddered and swallowed thickly. Little is known about Prince Berwald; He had only heard stories of the Alpha, all of which, depicted him as a stoic man with minimal expressions. How could Lovino marry someone like him? God have mercy on his soul. King Roma was always hooting about what an honor it was to have one of the Nordic’s royal Alphas to even step foot in their run-the-mill kingdom. Such an event hasn’t happened for so many years. He seemed pretty dead-set for Lovino to pick him to be married to. Of course, Lovino had other plans.

Like taking a bath for instance. He smelled of fish and…him. That fish merchant…Antonio was his name…? Whoever he was, REEKED of fish. It was both nauseating and sweet. There was something comforting about the smell, Lovino just couldn’t put his finger on it. His body sunk into the warm bathwater, causing Lovino to hiss slightly at the temperature. From the other room, he could hear Feliciano making distressed sounds through the wall. Usually when he made sounds like that...it meant he was entering is preheat and having vivid dreams. Great, just his luck. As the older twin, usually his heats would follow directly after his younger brother. Fantastic. 

Lovino scrunched the salt out of his hair in the bathwater and got himself out the tub. Although he and his brother shared a strong resemblance to each other, the town even the people inside the palace collectively agreed that Feliciano was different compared to Lovino. King Roma always said Lovino was a bit of an odd ball. He refused help from everyone and was more self driven than Feliciano, who would get his servants to tie his shoelaces, prepare him a snack and even kiss him goodnight on stormy nights. And yet...he was the one the kingdom favored more. He was so much more work for everyone yet he was loved by those who served. 

Lovino just didn't understand it at all. He grabbed his towel and dried himself off, grimacing as the smell of himself unveiled itself out of the steam to reveal the smell of salt STILL hadn't come out in one wash. What a waste of time and water. Defeated, Lovino curled up in his bed and blew out the bedside candles, slowing bringing himself to a light slumber. 


	3. Chapter 3

 

By the time Prince Lovino had awoken, the sun hadn’t risen from the east just yet. Which meant there was still time for him to take yet another shit-walk. On a day such as today, he was going to need it.

King Roma and Kiku had been prattling on about Prince Berwald for a couple of weeks now; he being a royal from the Nordic kingdom meant a big deal for the pathetically poor Roman kingdom. Everyone in the palace was giving a silent prayer Lovino would accept him as an Alpha to rule and be mated with.

Of course, that was not going to happen; all the Nordic kingdom’s inhabitants smelled of fish.

Lovino sighed bitterly and slipped on a simple tunic. Loose fitting and comfortable, so unlike those corsets from the Germanic kingdom he was forced to wear. He pulled up his boots and walked through the sleeping marble halls of the palace; everyone was still sound asleep and will continue to be until much later on.

There was a hint of worry in his swift movements, as the guards nearby were watching over the front gates with constant vigilance. However, as Lovino had learned from years of experience, the palace gardens were the one blind spot he could always use to escape. Without fear, Lovino trudged through the trimmed flowers and clawed his way through the hedge that bordered the palace, giving a triumphant huff upon reaching the other side.

Despite how poor the kingdom was, there were riches in the scenery. Beautiful woodlands with rabbits and deer, a blue ocean and a golden sky, the sound of people conversing with one and other. Those were the true treasures of this broken land.

Lovino never understood why money had to determine the beauty of everything. Couldn’t the other kingdoms see the hidden beauty of the Romans? He clicked his tongue arrogantly and walked through the empty village, following the smell of sea salt as it grew stronger than the smell of pine.

He paused in his tracks upon realizing he had wound up on the boardwalk AGAIN. Surely there must be a different route to take this time! Lovino was about to turn away, until the soft plucking of a Lute stopped him in his tracks.

The tune was bittersweet. It sounded like the player was attempting to perform a happy tune, yet the cords were way out of tune. The sound was sweet yet broken. And yet…Lovino was drawn to it.

As if by instinct, he began to follow the soft chords like a sailor caught in a siren’s spell. He was determined to find the source. But what would Lovino do upon finding the noise? Tell them off for making a racket? Applaud them?

Neither of the sort.

Lovino turned a corner and immedietly jumped back upon seeing _him._

 _He_ was playing the instrument. It didn’t appear Antonio had noticed him yet. For now…

Lovino peered from behind the corner and watched the man play softly to the sea. His voice hummed softer tones to the chorus of the slow waves and the plucking of the lute. And mio dio, he was beautiful.

Lovino pressed a hand to his pounding heart as he watched the spectacle before him. Suddenly, the tune ended and Antonio looked in his direction. Lovino watched to his horror as the fisherman started to grin like a Cheshire cat.

“Ay, don’t go hiding back there, Lovi! I know you were listening”

Somewhat shyly, he came from behind the corner and cleared his throat stiffly.

“Your Lute is out of tune. You need to tune it”

Antonio looked to his Lute and gave a sheepish grin. “I don’t know how to I’m afraid. This doesn’t belong to me”

Lovino gave Antonio an odd look.

“Antonio the fisherman. Who can’t swim, has a special fish and can’t tune a stolen lute”

“Hey! For your information, the sea gave it to me”

Once again, Lovino flashed Anotnio a strange look, silently demanding answers. Antonio shrugged and set it aside.

“Sometimes when I go to catch the fish, if I’m very lucky, treasures will end up in my net. Do you want to see my treasures, Lovino? I think I can trust you enough not to steal them” Antonio stood up and held out his palm for Lovino to take a step inside his fishing boat.

“Fine. But technically, the sea didn’t ‘give’ it to you. It washed up in your net. That’s all there is to it”

Lovino bashfully took Antonio’s hand and stood on wobbly feet in the swaying boat. “Heh, careful there. You’ll feel boat sick for a bit but you’ll get used to it”

Lovino nodded his head with a pout and straightened up. “So, where’s your trash?”

“It’s not trash!” Antonio protested childishly and pulled open a small brown chest, “They’re gifts. Gifts from the ocean”

He took a look inside and looked over the ‘treasures’ in awe. Rusted away trinkets obviously from the Asian kingdom, seashells with interesting patterns painted over them, even an arrowhead from god knows where! Lovino gazed at them with interest and looked up at him.

“The ocean isn’t alive, idiota. It can’t physically give you gifts. These are just old relics you happened to scrape up”

Antonio looked somewhat offended, but placed a firm hand on Lovino’s shoulder and held it there.

“Ah…that’s where you are wrong, Lovi. The ocean is alive. The ocean rocks me to sleep when I’m alone. The ocean greets me in the morning and says goodnight when nobody will. It glows for me, Lovi” Antonio gave a longing sigh and started at the dawn cracking over the sea, “It’s the closest thing to a lover I’ve ever had. If only you could understand”

A slight twinge of heartache tensed in Lovino’s heart at his words. Was the sea really his only lover?

“How pathetic” Lovino stated coldly, “Falling in love with a big puddle. That’s really sad. You’re an Alpha! Why don’t you go out and find a mate if you’re so lonely all the time?”

Antonio hesitated for a moment and locked eyes with the Omega. “I already have”

Within a short few seconds, Lovino’s cheeks started to burn hotter than the sun. “W-what?”

“I said-“

“I KNOW WHAT YOU SAID. J-just…argh, forget it you suave bastard”

Lovino shot up and climbed out the boat, passing the Alpha completely. “Wait! Lovi!” The Alpha cried with desperation and hooked his arms around Lovino’s legs.

“Lovi, Lovi….can’t we talk about this? You are a very handsome looking Omega. You’re the first Omega I’ve ever met who is willing to see me everyday!”

Lovino gave a foul look and tried to kick Antonio away.

“No! You idiot, we’ve only just met! What sort of romantic are you if you’re declaring your love to me on the second day, idiota!” Lovino hissed.

Antonio pulled away with hurt eyes and tried to collect himself. “That’s…that’s what’s bothering you? The fact we haven’t spent a full day together?”

Lovino huffed and nodded grumpily.

“Ah…so you’re not a believer of love at first sight, huh? Well. Then we can just go and spend some time together, si?”

He suddenly felt like he was under pressure, staring into those eyes glistening with hope. Lovino considered it for a brief moment. Antonio was very attractive. The biology worked. But…what would his palace think of him if he declared their love when the King had ordered Lovino to meet with richer Alphas.

Antonio was just a poor fisherman. He would be no good for ruling! But, he was fit enough to be _his_ Alpha.

“…Fine” Lovino answered dryly, “We meet here tomorrow night. Prove to me that the ocean glows”

Antonio perked up like a flower in spring and clasped his hands over Lovino’s.   
“Si! Si! We’ll have a great time! Just you, me and the waves. Don’t you worry about a thing!”

Lovino walked around the corner with a racing heart and burning cheeks. That stupid fisherman with his charming ways and optimistic smile….Lovino had fallen hopelessly for Antonio, the poor fisherman who can’t swim, owns a special fish, plays with an out of tune Lute and treasures a box full of pollution from the ocean.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (I really hope I got Sweden and Norway right. This fic seems to be nothing but first-times for me)

The palace was bustling with guards when Lovino had returned. All of them were dressed in the kingdom’s traditional battle armour to establish dominance over the arriving Nordic royalty. “Lovino Vargas! You are tardy!”

Oh great. Just what he needed.

The royal tailor, Roderich Edelstein rushed across the palace to Lovino’s side. “What are you doing standing around and gawking? I have been hired by your grandfather to dress you this morning. Thankfully, the prince has not arrived yet”

“Whatever. Make it quick, I’m hungry”

The Germanic tailor didn’t have any time to usher Lovino out the room when both Omegas sensed an unfamiliar Alpha’s presence. A tall man with blonde hair, a stiff back and a stoic expression harder than stone wandered into the palace.

Both Omegas said nothing as the Nordic prince flowed silently through the hall like a feather. There was a chill that ran down Lovino’s spine. So this was the man he could end up marrying?

As the prince moved, Lovino took the time to gaze at his form. Prince Berwald of the Nordics was dressed formally for the occasion. His long blue cape flowed as silently as his breath as he walked to a flower vase on the opposite side of the room and just…stared at it.

Maybe he too had things on his mind about this ordeal.

“Prince Berwald! Prince Berwald!”

Straight after the prince, an Omega from the Nordic kingdom walked smoothly through the room and put a hand on the prince’s shoulder. This man was much smaller than the prince and had lighter blonde hair with a small pearl hairclip.

Lovino could only watch as somehow he got the stoic oaf of a prince to move away from the flower vase and walked towards he and Roderich.

“My apologies. Our prince has a tendency to get distracted” The Omega apologised with an equally stoic expression.

Why were these Nordics so stoic? Lovino could barely read their expressions.

“I am Lukas Bondevik. I am the royal Omega in waiting. And this is our graceful prince, Berwald Oxenstierna. You will refer to him as Prince Oxenstierna or simply ‘Your highness’”

Lukas gave a sharp look so cold to Lovino he actually felt a shiver down his spine. “We won’t stay for long, our prince has allergies to dust and this palace is simply bathing in it”

Lovino felt rage burn in the pits of his stomach at his harsh words. The worst part of it was the fact Lukas didn’t allow Lovino the satisfaction to retort back, because he turned away hastily and gestured for Berwald to follow behind.

Prince Berwald still remained oddly fixated on the flower vase, then looked to Lovino for a brief moment. Lovino stood there awkwardly gaping like a fish, frozen in Berwald’s eyes before they turned away silently.

It was Roderich’s turn to speak. “Come now. You need to look presentable for the Nordic Prince. Your grandfather has informed me that you will be spending morning tea in each other’s company while they discuss future matters”

Lovino nodded through grit teeth and trudged up his bedroom without another word.

So….this was the asshole he was probably going to end up marrying? Lovino had already forgotten the guy’s name. Ber…what? Berwald. Oh. He clicked his tongue and started to change into his ugly lace dress shirt. There were cornflowers sewn into the collar of the shirt; so out of place. Germanic flowers will never belong in this palace.

Lovino examined himself in the mirror before looking over the gardens under his balcony. There, he watched the Prince casually conversing with his cheery brother. Oddly enough, they seemed to be getting along perfectly fine. Berwald was actually speaking, although he acted like a brick wall earlier.

Without any ounce of eagerness in his spirit, Lovino made his descent down the palace stairs and past the marble pillars leading to the gardens, where Feliciano was just exiting in time.

“Oh…Caio fratello~!”

Internally groaning, Lovino pinched the bridge of his nose. “What do you want Feli? Have you been pestering the prince?”

Feliciano gasped and clapped his hands to his mouth. “How did you know? Fratello, are you a mind reader? I just had a very long chat with Prince Berwald! He’s uh…he’s an interesting person”

“I looked out the window, idiota. And I need to talk with him. You know…all that getting to know your Alpha business”

His brother’s spirits dampened slightly. “Oh fratello…you’re not really going to marry him, are you? But you always told me stories about seeing the world and escaping the palace! So you’re going to be the next king…?”

Lovino stayed completely silent and walked past Feliciano.

With a frown, Feliciano passed the marble pillars and left Lovino to speak with Berwald.

He could smell the Alpha a mile away. His pheromones were overwhelmingly strong with an odd smell of melted icecaps emanating from his body. That was the only way Lovino could describe the stench. Lovino turned a hedge corner and found him just rolling a pearl bracelet in his hand with a stoic expression.

“…Uh….hey”

Berwald didn’t look up from the beads in his hand and simply responded with an ‘mm’.

Lovino’s body began to tremble in fear of the man. Why was he so damn quiet! They were going to marry!

“So uh…you’re the prince….”

“Mm-hmm”

“A-and we’re going to marry soon….”

“Mm-hmm”

“Say something you bastard!” Lovino snapped. This was enough to get Berwald to finally look up.

He stayed silent, gazing into the other’s eyes for a few moments. “You are not the one”

Lovino didn’t understand a word this man was saying. “W-what…?”

“You are not the one” Berwald repeated, his voice a little firmer, “You are not my wife”

Oh. So that’s what he meant. “Yeah no shit. We haven’t exchanged vows yet” Lovino snorted, hoping his sarcasm would ease the awkward tension between the two. To no avail, Berwald simply looked down at the pearl bracelet again.

“This is a present from my Omega. He is a very creative in what he does”

Context please! Lovino was internally screaming at how little detail Berwald provided. “That’s nice….”

“Mm” Berwald continued to roll the pearls in his hand silently, “He is a jeweller by the border. ‘N makes beautiful pearl necklaces. That reminds me…”

Lovino watched the silent Prince pull out something from a satchel hanging off the side of his silver armour. Without asking, Berwald gently pulled Lovino’s hand and placed something cold in his hands.

Upon drawing it away, Lovino opened his palms and found a pearl bracelet with the Nordic kingdom’s emblem inscribed in gold on each little pearl.

“U-uh…”

“You keep it”

“Grazie, I guess” Lovino shoved it hastily in his pocket, not knowing what to do with the item. Maybe he’ll give it to Antonio. This was the sort of crap he would go crazy over.

Berwald looked towards the sun and stood up abruptly. “I will go”

And with that he left, leaving Lovino utterly confused with so many questions and so little answers. The Alpha prince was graceful in his own way. How could a man with so little to say be so haunting to him? Lovino just didn’t understand. With a snort he trudged back into the palace with his mind lingering on the ocean and a certain fisherman.


	5. Chapter 5

The evening was spent with an awkward tension rising over their heads. Of King Roma cracking inappropriate jokes to the stoic members of Nordic royalty. Of Berwald staring intensely at his plate and nudging his fork against the tomatoes laid out perfectly in front of him. Of Lukas trying to coax King Berwald to ‘forget him. This is politics, you do not have a choice on the matter’. The only thing that could save Lovino from the embarrassment of his rowdy family attempting to appeal to the silent royals was running his fingers over the pearl bracelet given to him by the prince.

It wasn’t the bracelet itself that distracted him.

It was the look on Antonio’s face when he’ll give it to him. The dumb fisherman will probably crap himself or pass out, Lovino mused to himself, maybe even both at the same time.

He swore the sun could not have set any faster. Once prince Berwald and Lukas had retreated to the guest rooms and the palace was still, Lovino fled the palace grounds towards the one place he could find peace: next to Antonio.

Following the boardwalk, he could faintly hear the sounds of that god awful, horribly tuned lute plucking it strings to what sounds like the Roman kingdom’s national anthem. The imperfect sound made Lovino smile a little though. There was only one lute player in the kingdom with an instrument that bad.

He turned the corner and saw Antonio plucking a tune to the ocean, gazing into the moonlight absent-mindedly.

“Uh…hey”

Antonio turned around and beamed. “Aye, fancy seeing you here, Lovi”

Lovino blushed and stiffly made his way to the barrels beside Antonio’s boat and stall.

“I grew impatient. I want to see the ocean glow”

The fisherman chuckled a little and set his lute down. “Hm…maybe…~”

“C-Come on! You said it could glow, didn’t you? I want to see it for myself, idiota. I don’t believe you for a second unless I can see it”

Antonio packed away his lute into the boat and turned to him.

“I will…only if you give me a kiss first~!”

Lovino gave a shocked gasp and staggered back. “No way! I’m not kissing you when you reek of fish!”

He gave a hearty laugh and stepped into small a row boat on the side of the jetty.

“Fine then. No kiss for me? Let’s make a compromise. If you let me hold you for the whole trip, I will show you the ocean”

With burning cheeks, Lovino climbed aboard the tiny boat. “Tsk. Fine. Only because I want to see it glow”

Antonio smirked proudly and sat down, spreading his legs so Lovino could sit between them. The Omega blushed and plonked down on the spot made just for him.

“Now, as the captain of the ship, I say we set the sails for…” Antonio squinted in the distance then abruptly pointed to a random spot on the ocean, “-Right there!”

Lovino stared off into the distance with a squint. “I’m not seeing anything glow yet, you liar”

The Alpha chuckled and began rowing the boat away from the dock, unintentionally grinding their bodies together as the oars moved back and forth and the water pushed the boat across the large body of water. The whole time, Lovino was forcing himself not to squirm as he was trapped against Antonio’s body. It did not help the other made a little grunt every time he moved the oars, or that he could smell his Alpha pheromones in the beads of sweat on his brow, or the fact he had a clear view of Antonio’s toned biceps at work. Eventually, the boat came to a stop in the water and Antonio set his oars down. “Here we are. Take a look”

Lovino peered over the edge of the boat and frowned. The water did not change.

“Oh yeah wow. That’s some nice glowing I can see here. I’m fascinated”

Antonio rolled his eyes and dipped his hand into the icy cold water. After giving a few swirls of his hand, a mysterious light blue speckling of light floated in its place. Antonio made a few sweeps of his oars and smiled as the light spread.

The Alpha wished he could have captured the look of wonder on Lovino’s face as he stared in the water. “H-how?! How is the water glowing in such a beautiful colour?” He stammered.

Antonio hugged Lovino from behind and pointed at the water, smiling as the glowing surrounded his finger. “A type of bacteria called Noctiluca scintillans. They glow when you disturb them” Lovino stared in a stunned silence.

“Now do you believe the ocean is alive, Lovi?”

Lovino shuffled back from the edge and looked at Antonio with a sparkle in his eyes that could rival the glowing that surrounded the boat.

“U-uh…I-I have something for you…”

Antonio blinked with interest and cocked his head while Lovino dug through his pocket and pulled out the pearl bracelet given to him earlier from prince Berwald.

The Alpha’s eyes lit up the instant the bracelet was placed into his hands.

“Woah! These are pearls! Real, fancy pearls! No offense but how did the Roman prince get his hands on Nordic jewellery? This is incredible! I’ll never let it out of my sight!”

Before Lovino could vocalise a ‘you’re welcome’, Antonio mashed their mouths together. The wall fell. Lovino closed his eyes and whined, kissing back equally as hard.

The boat rocked between their kisses as the prince passionately kissed the alpha fisherman. Their scents mingled with each other as their tongues slid and explored the mouths of their partners. Lovino’s heart was racing as they pulled away and kissed again. The force was so wonderful that Antonio fell backwards and pulled Lovino on top of him, to gaze at the stars gleaming above.

While the moment was the most romantic thing Lovino had experienced, it was the cause of a casual rising in his pants and the build-up of slick in his silk underpants. Lovino stared at the stars with half lidded eyes and soft little whines. Kissing Antonio was all too much. “Heh…Lovi, what are you thinking about?”

Lovino only replied with soft pants and a moan.

The alpha blinked at turned over to face his partner, then flushed dramatically. “…Oh….y-you’re on heat now, aren’t you”

“T-take me home, you bastard. F-fuck~ I need my nest!” Lovino was squirming in the boat. The slick had grown to such an extent that his robes now had a damp patch.

“Oh dio…you were in preheat this whole time and you didn’t tell me?”

“S-shut up! It wasn’t important!”

Antonio took a handkerchief from his pocket and soaked it with the flask of alcohol on his hip, pressing it to his nose and mouth. “We need to get you home, Lovi. But the ride back will take an hour at most. Hang on…”

Without giving much consideration for Lovino, Antonio removed his jacket and pulled an old sail to the other side of the small boat. “You can use these to nest with”

Lovino swiped the jacket and pressed it to his mouth and nose. The Alpha’s scent on the clothing made him moan out and spread his legs for the other. “T-toni~ Fuck, I want your cock!”

Antonio blushed and wrapped the cloth around his face like a bandana. That way he could row without Lovino’s intense heat smells distracting him. The noises were far more distracting however. Lovino had secluded himself to the other end of the tiny boat. The old sail was turned into a temporary nest whilst Lovino sniffed the jacket continuously. All sense of reason Lovino once had was thrown out the window as he cried out for the Alpha to mate with him.

Midway through the trip, Lovino had given up on his urges altogether and started to satisfy himself with his hands in front of Antonio. The situation was making Antonio tense. He could feel his Alpha instincts in his blood screaming for him to mate with the desperate Omega before him. His hands quivered as he pushed the oars and tried to ignore the urges to the best of his ability.

By the time the boat had reached the dock, Lovino had come twice but was still desperate for an Alpha’s knot to fill him. “Toni~ Toni please~ For fuck’s sake, I don’t care anymore. I want you~”

Antonio tied up the boat and held out his hand. “C-come on, Lovi…I’ll escort you back. Where do you live?”

Lovino stood up and tore the bandana off.

Like the eyes of a predator gazing at its prey, Antonio’s pupils dilated dramatically and a low growl escaped his lips. The Alpha gripped Lovino’s wrist and yanked him out of the boat at to the fisherman’s boat at the docks. There was nowhere to hide.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No this series is not dead! I've just been SUPER busy with my last year of highschool (I graduate this Thursday, huehue) Expect more updates of Let Me Save You and Refuge soon!

When Lovino came to, he was draped under an old windsail in Antonio’s bed. The room reeked of fish, faded scents of sex and mostly, Antonio. His heat was mildly pulsating, not to the extent as it would when it wasn’t satisfied. The Omega groaned and sat up, briefly glancing down to see the he was completely naked and that his backside felt oddly sore.

They didn’t…no…they couldn’t have…

In a panic, Lovino rushed to the closest reflection he could find: an old glass bottle laying on the ground and found to his horror, there was very clearly a mark on the back of his neck alongside several hickeys across his shoulders.

The curtain flap to the outside abruptly opened and Antonio stepped inside with an undeniably guilty expression.

“Ah…Buenos días Lovi~”

“Don’t fucking say that. Y-you bastard!” Lovino stood up and shoved him enough to make the other stumble. He yanked him by the collar enough to see the mark on his neck.

“What the fuck is this? Did you fucking claim me?! Hey?! Is that your scent on me right now?! Is that your fucking teeth mark claiming my goddamn neck right here?!” Lovino snapped, pushing it closer to the view.

Antonio staggered back with a look of fear and hurt. There was an intense scent of anger filling his nostrils and making his mouth water.

“L-Lovino…I thought maybe we could trust each other…I’m sorry…you were on your heat-“

“Oh so it’s MY fault now, huh? I couldn’t control myself therefore I forced you down to claim me, huh?!” Lovino slapped Antonio angrily and began to sob, “I’m so fucking dead…”

The Alpha was at a loss for what to do. He looked to the floor with worry written all across his features.

“You smell…different. Omegas gain a different smell when they’re impregnated, right?”

Lovino shot him a glare sharper than a dagger. It certainly pierced his heart like one would have too.

“Don’t. Alright? Don’t you fucking dare bring that possibility up. I’m not going to carry your bastard child and I don’t want anything to do with you, you animal”

“H-hey! I was just bringing it up to be cautious! I-if you don’t want to I know of a place you can go…”

“Arthur’s right? He’s a potion brewer although I’ve heard they do jack shit” He muttered coldly, “Maybe there’s something to flush out whatever’s in me”

Antonio gave a hurt look as Lovino shoved past him to pull on his tunic and boots before heading out with tears in his eyes. He felt physically sick knowing that he had been claimed, potentially impregnated and worse, arranged to marry someone other than him.

The omega rushed past the villagers sweeping away the dust from their homes and straight towards the marketplace.

It was there, stood a large purple tent that pointed upwards towards the sky. The doorway was protected by jasmine beads that hung from the opening. He strode inside, instantly catching the attention of the Alpha by the counter.

It was up to debate on whether or not the local potion maker’s potions actually worked or not. Some said he was just a swindler of people’s money. Others would say what he would make really did help with their problems.

He was known as Arthur. Also known as the hermit for his tent was located on the outskirts of the marketplace.

His piercing green eyes peered up from his large leather-bound book and from his cauldron bubbling over a small fire.

“What may I do for you, young man?”

Lovino was panting from the journey to get here. His eyes darted around to the sprigs of rosemary that hung from the ceiling and the crystals that decorated the shelves.

“I-I need a potion”

Arthur frowned and sighed. “You need to be more specific. Although…I think the looks of you tells a good picture. Do let me guess, were you forcefully claimed?”

Forcefully claimed. It hurt to consider it a forceful claim. He was the one who made Antonio’s alpha instincts kick in…no…no, it was his damn fault!

“Yes. It was a forceful claim. I want to stop anything from growing in me”

Arthur gave a saddened look and sighed.

“It hurts to see people like you. People who are so capable of carrying a child. You have such perfect hips, don’t you know? But people like us…people like us have to stand here and suffer while their omegas are hurting…” Arthur murmured darkly. The potion brewer pulled down a small, dusty bottle and placed it on the counter.

“Drink this under the light of a full moon. Doing so will activate the spell to work. It will erase the existence of any child that may be growing within you. You will feel very weak for a few days afterwards and may experience abdominal cramps as your body forcefully breaks down and expels what could have been” He instructed grimly, “Now. Pay up. I don’t make these potions for free”

Lovino gave a tsk and dropped a small bag of coins onto the counter. Although his eyes were trailing off to the rest of the dusty bottles on the shelves.

“Hey…have you got anything for healing bruises or something?”

Arthur began to smirk a little and eyed off his neck. “Oh…that isn’t just a typical old bruise. A claim bite can never be erased my good sir. It is a mark that is made on the omega destined for that alpha. It will never leave you. Sorry but I can’t help there. Many have tried spells to remove it. But in the end, it is simply impossible to do so”

The omega shoved the bottle into the small satchel that hung on his hip and moved to the shelves. All the bottles had fancy little labels on them with different purposes. Weight loss, fertility, luck, money-gain, love. Wait…love?

Lovino pulled the bottle down and carefully read the instructions on the back of the label. He stared at it for a long time, contemplating whether or not to buy it until a thought crossed his mind.

Arthur’s smirk seemed to widen when he placed another bag of gold on the counter.

“This one too. Uh…will this work?”

“Of course, of course!” Arthur spoke cheerily, pulling the bags from Lovino, “You will need to add a personal ingredient. Something only you can provide. I’ve heard it works best with saliva or..ah…yes…” He noticeably blushed when he glanced at Lovino’s crotch as a hint, “Slip this into the beverage of your desired partner and drink a little yourself. Your partner will fall head over heels for you~”

“Right. Whatever”

Lovino turned on his heels with the two bottles clinking together in his satchel. He had just about enough of this cat-eyed potion brewer. Arthur gave a wave and began to count his money greedily the moment he had left.

Now all he needed was to wait for the next full moon.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Holy shit did I leave this story on the sidelines for a while XD I'm sorta back? I'll try to finish it soon!)

Lovino did not get far. He knew the guards surrounding the palace would be up in arms by the fact that one of their princes had gone missing overnight. It wasn’t like Lovino could just walk up to the palace casually. He needed an excuse! There was nothing he could think of that could support him other than ‘I tripped and bumped my head somewhere’. Lovino did not have a convincing alibi. For now, he decided to just play it. Lovino walked to the front gates with his chest promptly stuck out. And he had almost made it to his room when a guard recognised and stopped him.

King Roma was sitting in his throne with the sourest expression Lovino had ever seen. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that he was furious. Lovino swore his knees were going to buckle underneath him. Especially when he saw Prince Berwald overlooking the main hall in front him.

“Lovino Giovanni Vargas. Where the HELL where you?!”

Oh crap. Lovino stammered weakly and shook in the guard’s arm. King Roma took this as the opportunity to stand up from his throne and forcefully tilt his grandson’s head to the side, where his claim-bite stung against the air.

“….This better not be what I think it is. Lovino.”

He started to hyperventilate and struggle in the guard’s arms. “N-Nonno, wait-“

“My grandson…you have betrayed this kingdom. Have you no decency or shame? Do you even have a sense of dignity for yourself? Who mated with you?!”

“N-Nonno, please…!”

King Roma harshly slapped Lovino on the cheek. Enough to leave a painful red mark. “…Answer me, Lovino. I swear to god…And why aren’t you wearing Berwald’s wedding gift to you? Do you hate him that much?”

“Nonno, I-I gave it, alright?! I-I met a handsome Alpha and we’re in love. Take a look in my satchel. I bought a potion that’s supposed to stop a child from coming. L-let’s just forget about it, si? I’ll go marry off to Berwald to stay loyal, I swear!” The Omega spluttered out helplessly. Just as two guards were yanked off the satchel, another forced Lovino’s hands behind his back and tied them with rope. “Nonno, what the hell?! You bastard! I’m your grandson! You can’t do this!” He struggled and struggled. But to no avail he was roughly shoved down the hall.

“Guards. You are to find the Alpha who owns the Nordic royal bracelet. And the Alpha who deflowered the arising king. Leave no place unsearched. Bring him to me. He is to be executed under the act of treason and unlawful courtship”

They were going to find and kill Antonio?! Lovino screamed and pleaded through the hallway desperately and attempted to run at his grandfather. And do what exactly? With his hands bound they would be no use. He sobbed helplessly as the satchel was opened and had its contents dumped in front of him. There was no missing the sound of the shattering glass of both the potion bottles.

Lovino sobbed woefully. Even when he was shoved into his prison cell, he was sobbing. He cried helplessly for someone, anyone to change the course of fate. He looked up at the moon and regretted everything. He regretted meeting the stupid bastard. He regretted falling in love. He regretted not drinking the potion earlier. Now all that was left was to wait.


End file.
